Recognise Any Of These Swimming Personality Traits?
The Swim Smooth coaching team have just had a social get together here in Perth trading experiences about coaching different Swim Types. Below is a list of some of our more left-field observations about the personalities of each of the different Swim Types.
If you're a coach and have used the Swim Type system we're sure you'll immediately recognise many of these traits, or as a swimmer you might recognise something about your own personality! If you've not seen our Swim Type system before, check out how you can use it to develop your own swimming or coaching at : www.swimtypes.com
The Arnie/Arnette (full profile and videos here)
- May arrive for sessions late and in a bit of a fluster.
- Often shortens their name as much as possible (e.g. Robert becomes Bob).
- May use their partner's email address and write with caps-lock on.
- Has a tendency to say "yes... yes... yes..." or "yip... yip... yip..." to hurry along a coaching conversation.
- Tends to see the coaching relationship as a means to an end.
- Often frustrated with swimming and why they're not faster than they are.
- Responds well to a subtle ego massage.
The Bambino (full profile and videos here)
- The first thing they tell a coach is "I'm really not very good".
- Values the coaching relationship for its own sake.
- Dislikes leading a lane (opposite of the Smooth).
- Gets a huge buzz from small improvements.
- Generally warm and open personality.
The Kicktastic (full profile and videos here)
- Quite quiet and may appear aloof.
- Dislikes cameras and having their photo taken.
- Likes taking notes (can anyone explain why this is...?)
- Often wears ankle bracelets or foot jewellery.
- Often turns up late for swim sessions.
- Gets bored easily (needs variety in their sessions).
- May be a bit "earthy" or "hippy".
The Overglider (full profile and videos here)
- Tendency to wear long (jammer) style bathers.
- May prefer use of their full name (e.g. Jonathan instead of John), this is the opposite of the Arnie.
- Enjoys long technical discussions.
- Struggles not to constantly analyse an area of their stroke or their performance.
- Often wears a large watch or heart rate monitor when swimming.
- Likes stroke technique work.
The Swinger (full profile and videos here)
- Hates when people stand around the end of lanes and get in the way (everyone dislikes that but especially Swingers!)
- Lives "in the now" and likes to get on with things without undue discussion.
- The first on the pool deck and dying to get in the water.
- Dislikes clutter in their houses (we said this was going to be left-field!).
- Can easily turn the brain off and just swim (opposite of the Overglider).
- Likes wearing bright bathers.
- Finds stroke technique work boring.
The Smooth (find out more here)
- Likes to lead the lane and have clear water.
- Doesn't like having swimmers on their toes.
- When entering a shallow pool, likes to jump in feet first and then immediately bounce forwards into a dive (odd but true!).
- May have trouble motivating themselves and training consistently as an adult.
- Often likes to enter the pool by jumping in feet first and diving forward straight into their freestyle.
- Always well groomed.
Do any of them ring any bells with you or do you have any observations of your own? Post them on the comments section of this blog here. This is just a bit of light hearted fun and not to be taken too seriously. :)
Swim Smooth!
 |
| Cyndy, being a classic Swinger, likes her bright bathers. |
If you're a coach and have used the Swim Type system we're sure you'll immediately recognise many of these traits, or as a swimmer you might recognise something about your own personality! If you've not seen our Swim Type system before, check out how you can use it to develop your own swimming or coaching at : www.swimtypes.com
The Arnie/Arnette (full profile and videos here)
- May arrive for sessions late and in a bit of a fluster.
- Often shortens their name as much as possible (e.g. Robert becomes Bob).
- May use their partner's email address and write with caps-lock on.
- Has a tendency to say "yes... yes... yes..." or "yip... yip... yip..." to hurry along a coaching conversation.
- Tends to see the coaching relationship as a means to an end.
- Often frustrated with swimming and why they're not faster than they are.
- Responds well to a subtle ego massage.
 |
| For some unknown reason, Smooths like to get in the pool and start swimming this way. |
- The first thing they tell a coach is "I'm really not very good".
- Values the coaching relationship for its own sake.
- Dislikes leading a lane (opposite of the Smooth).
- Gets a huge buzz from small improvements.
- Generally warm and open personality.
The Kicktastic (full profile and videos here)
- Quite quiet and may appear aloof.
- Dislikes cameras and having their photo taken.
- Likes taking notes (can anyone explain why this is...?)
- Often wears ankle bracelets or foot jewellery.
- Often turns up late for swim sessions.
- Gets bored easily (needs variety in their sessions).
- May be a bit "earthy" or "hippy".
The Overglider (full profile and videos here)
- Tendency to wear long (jammer) style bathers.
- May prefer use of their full name (e.g. Jonathan instead of John), this is the opposite of the Arnie.
- Enjoys long technical discussions.
- Struggles not to constantly analyse an area of their stroke or their performance.
- Often wears a large watch or heart rate monitor when swimming.
- Likes stroke technique work.
The Swinger (full profile and videos here)
- Hates when people stand around the end of lanes and get in the way (everyone dislikes that but especially Swingers!)
- Lives "in the now" and likes to get on with things without undue discussion.
- The first on the pool deck and dying to get in the water.
- Dislikes clutter in their houses (we said this was going to be left-field!).
- Can easily turn the brain off and just swim (opposite of the Overglider).
- Likes wearing bright bathers.
- Finds stroke technique work boring.
The Smooth (find out more here)
- Likes to lead the lane and have clear water.
- Doesn't like having swimmers on their toes.
- When entering a shallow pool, likes to jump in feet first and then immediately bounce forwards into a dive (odd but true!).
- May have trouble motivating themselves and training consistently as an adult.
- Often likes to enter the pool by jumping in feet first and diving forward straight into their freestyle.
- Always well groomed.
Do any of them ring any bells with you or do you have any observations of your own? Post them on the comments section of this blog here. This is just a bit of light hearted fun and not to be taken too seriously. :)
Swim Smooth!